Democrats firm on $3.9 billion for education

By Peggy Fikac |
May 16, 2013
| Updated: May 16, 2013 3:15pm

AUSTIN — Democrats are standing firm on an infusion of $3.9 billion for public education, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, said Thursday, accusing Republicans of moving the goalposts in the budget debate.

“We have never changed,” Turner said.

Turner, speaking after Democrats caucused Thursday, said the agreement with House GOP leadership was that schools would get $2.5 billion in general revenue in the House version of the state budget for the next two years.

In addition, he said, the agreement was that schools would keep $1.4 billion that otherwise could be re-routed by the state because of higher local school property tax revenues.

Schools are funded by a combination of state, local and federal money. When local revenues rise, the state obligation decreases. The amount that could be freed in state general revenue in this way is $1.4 billion, money that has come into play in budget negotiations.

Turner said that Democrats in return would give their support toward the two-thirds vote needed to spend money from the rainy day fund for water infrastructure and for a proposed constitutional amendment to dedicate the money, allowing Republicans to avoid breaking the spending cap.

In addition, Turner said, Democrats weren't going to break the deal when Republicans said they'd re-route another $500 million that the House had agreed to give schools in the current fiscal year, potentially to roads in energy-boom areas like the Eagle Ford Shale.

Turner, however, said Republicans have sought to change the deal because of apparent dissension within their own ranks.

He said that word came from House Speaker Joe Straus's office that Gov. Rick Perry was saying it was too much money for education and that the most they could do was $3.2 billion, plus $300 million to help school districts with Teacher Retirement System costs.

Perry spokesman Josh Havens denied Wednesday night that Perry was telling lawmakers to vote against the budget because education was too high.

“What else is new?” Turner said, steely. He said Perry should put out a clear, public statement indicating how much education revenue he supports, if that's the case.

Turner also said that Democrats had been threatened that if they don't agree to the GOP position, that they would face a special session in which Republicans would also find it easier to pass now-stalled anti-abortion legislation. He said the sentiment expressed, with Straus in the room, was, “If you don't accept this deal, it will only get worse for you in the special session.” But Turner said Democrats are willing to risk that because of the importance of education.

House Speaker Joe Straus, heading to his office behind the chamber, said when asked about Turner's comments, “I'm not sure exactly what he said, but I hope - my understanding is that people are still … in discussions, which is good.”

The $3.9 billion sought by Democrats is high, Straus indicated.

“I don't think there's room. I know that the budget has limits, with the caps, and we can't go above the cap,” Straus said.

Asked about the threat that Turner described concerning the items that would be brought up in special session, which he said occurred with Straus in the room, Straus first asked, “Which room?” Then he said, “There are those who are saying that, yes.”

Perry's spokeswoman, Lucy Nashed, said, “The governor has not told members not to vote for the budget. There are a lot of ongoing conversations about the budget at this point in the session, and the governor expects lawmakers to send him a balanced budget that limits spending, includes tax relief for Texans and funds water and transportation infrastructure projects.”

Perry, asked at a press conference how much money he would like to put into schools, told reporters, “I'm not going to craft a budget here with you all today.”